Mist is a wall-painting robot that does all the hard work for you
There seems to be a solution in sight for all your house-painting woes. Mist unveiled a robot that can seemingly slap paint up on your walls in such professional fashion that you'll never throw up your paint-covered hands and call the house painters ever again.
Canary and partners to donate security devices to first responders in May
Pioneering smart home security device manufacturer Canary is offering appreciation and paying tribute to first responders this May by working together with State Farm and Verizon to donate more than 10,000 Canary all-in-one home security devices to first responders across the country.
If you live in a city, air pollution is so bad you might as well be smoking
Shit, I Smoke! is an app that translates the amount of pollution in your city into the number of cigarettes that could theoretically cause the same amount of damage. Taking real-time pollution data from air quality stations around the world, the app uses the city's PM2.5 number to produce a cigarette count.
Did Amazon just give itself a $2 billion raise? Prime will now cost $119 a year
Amazon is raising the cost of its Prime membership by $20, pushing the annual fee from $99 to $119. It'll go into effect for new sign-ups on May 11, and for renewals on June 16. Amazon launched its shipping and entertainment package in 2005 and it now has 100 million members globally.
Reolink’s latest breakthrough pulls the plugs on smart security cameras
The Reolink Go is the Hong Kong-based company's latest security camera, offering a 4G LTE mobile platform alongside a weatherproof design, rechargeable battery and optional solar panel, making it perfect for challenging sites like farms, construction sites, or boat docks.
Isolated intimacy: These tiny cabins are unplugged, peaceful, and secret
A Belgian startup called Slow Cabins is offering isolated, off-the-grid, and self-sustainable cabins for rent by couples, families, entrepreneurs, and artists who are looking for a last-minute secret getaway that allows for a few peaceful days of zero-impact life in a relaxing setting.
Amazon has fixed a bug that allowed hackers to listen in on Alexa devices
Amazon has fixed a bug that made it possible for hackers to listen in on you via Amazon Alexa by creating an Alexa skill. By manipulating a specific Alexa feature, researchers were able to prove the hack was possible, and that it could be used to obtain a word-for-word transcript of users' conversations.
Flavor Matrix cookbook proves peanut butter avocado toast is the neo brunch
The Food Matrix is a new cookbook from James Briscione. While it has some recipes, its main focus is aroma wheels that make it easy to pair new and unusual foods together based on shared compounds.
Ingenious digital swear jar uses voice recognition to penalize you for bad words
Want to stop *@$%ing swearing so much? Then get yourself a swear jar. Want to stop *@$%ing swearing so much, while also getting a unique new gadget for the home? Then get yourself a smart swear jar. At least, that’s the premise behind a somewhat unusual new gadget called JarGone.
Nest Temperature Sensor review
Nest has finally released standalone sensors that remotely report temperatures home, allowing the Nest Learning Thermostat to effectively eradicate cold and hot spots around the home. Are they are worthy upgrade to your home thermostat, or are they dumb devices tacked onto a smart system?
DoorDash is helping Walmart to take on Amazon and Whole Foods
Walmart is getting some help in its ongoing battle against Amazon for grocery delivery dominance. On Tuesday, April 24, the retailer announced a new partnership with the delivery service DoorDash, who will serve as a "key delivery provider" for Walmart's Online Grocery program in Atlanta, Georgia.
Canary View camera offers home security, peace of mind for less than $100
Canary recently unveiled a $99 indoor HD security camera called the Canary View to help protect you and your loved ones. Now, it has improved upon some of its software (namely Person Detection) to help better detect human beings, and reduce false positive notifications about pets and the like.
Amazon will now deliver packages straight into your car’s trunk
Amazon has launched yet another service that makes it easier for you to receive your ecommerce orders. It doesn't depend upon smart locks or cameras (as Amazon Key does), but rather connected technology that is inherent in several 21st-century vehicles. It's called in-car delivery, and it begins today.
How to set up Routines on your Google Home device
Google Home has launched a Routines feature. Now your Google Home, Home Mini, or Home Max can help you wake up, get ready for bed or welcome you home from work. Here's how to set up Routines on Your Google Home Device.
Man turns wife’s criticism of his culinary skills into a robotic cooking machine
Never say that nagging never got anything done -- apparently, one enterprising wife managed to nag her husband into creating a smart robotic chef. At the sixth annual China International Technology Fair, the CEO of a Shanghai-based catering company unveiled his latest creation.
Take charge of your water bill with the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
Rachio, the company behind a smart sprinkler controller that allows you to control your watering system (and by extension, your water bill) from your smartphone, has now introduced the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller and Wireless Flow Meter. Now, the system is $30 of as a result of high demand.
Facebook waits to release smart speaker amid data privacy concerns
With news still trickling out about the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook is reportedly scrapping plans to release Portal and another smart speaker at its F8 developer conference. We know now that the delay is quite significant -- we won't see the speakers until October 2018, five months later than scheduled.
Is Alexa getting a big brother? Amazon is working on a secret home robot
Amazon is reportedly developing home robotics products at its Lab126 hardware research and development division. People with insider knowledge of the robotics work reportedly said they could be on the market as early as 2019.
CDC’s PulseNet tracks sources of bad lettuce, eggs, other foodborne illnesses
The CDC's PulseNet uses DNA fingerprinting to identify bacteria sources of foodborne illness outbreaks. Laboratories in each U.S. state and territory post findings on a shared CDC message board in real time. PulseNet also traces bacteria DNA in recreational water, pets, rodents, reptiles, and animal feed.
Do it yourself: How to buy and install a garbage disposal in your home
Our guide includes instructions on how to install a garbage disposal yourself, and our picks for some of the best garbage disposals you can buy in 2018.
The Hilton Hotel in Panama features an insane Alienware gaming room
The next time you're on vacation in Panama City, you may not want to leave your room. The Hilton Hotel features an exclusive room designed for hard-core gamers, with Alienware PCs, high-definition displays, and even a virtual reality headset.
Bosch Wall Oven Series 500 HBE5452UC review
The Bosch 24-inch Wall Oven Looks and Runs Great, But Fails on Smart Connect Promise
Tiny dents in solar cells could make them more efficient than ever
Looking for a way to make solar panels more efficient? Why not try putting a dent in them? No, it’s not a “fix the TV by banging your hand on it” solution, but an actually demonstrable discovery from researchers at the United Kingdom’s University of Warwick. Here is how it works.
Can digital home assistants top smartphones for control of the smart home?
A new GfK study of 1,000 participants shows that that when it comes to smart home tech, U.S. consumers prefer to use their smartphones to control their smart home technology, with a much smaller number preferring to employ digital assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home as their smart home hub.
An ‘NBA on TNT’ ad is triggering people’s HomePods and they are not pleased
You may not be the only one controlling your smart assistant -- savvy advertisers are in on the game, too. Per a new report from Apple Insider, there's an NBA on TNT ad that features the phrase, "Don't wanna miss out? Hey Siri show me the NBA schedule," which triggers the HomePod, much to many a user's chagrin.
Lutron Caseta Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch review
You don’t have to have a professional install smart switches to make your lighting smart. Instead, try the Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch. It helps you take control of your home lighting through an easy-to-use app, though it has no shortage of competitors.
By assembling Ikea chairs, robots steal the one job we never wanted
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have demonstrated how a pair of off-the-shelf robot arms can be used to assemble a flat-packed Ikea chair in just a matter of minutes. Best of all? They can apparently do it without having a massive argument, too.
Nest will give smart thermostats to low-income families to help with energy costs
The smart home technology manufacturer Nest, with an assist from Habitat for Humanity, is celebrating Earth Day with an ambitious country-spanning initiative designed to help low-to-moderate income families gain access to affordable energy solutions and benefit from local energy assistance programs.
Puerto Rico is plunged into an island-wide blackout yet again
The devastation caused by Hurricane Maria has yet to be fully addressed in Puerto Rico, but now, the island is contending with yet another power-related problem. On Wednesday, an islandwide blackout plunged Puerto Rico into darkness, and was apparently caused by an excavator. Most of the island remains powerless.
Notion partners with HomeAdvisor to connect you to a plumber, and fast
Best known for its smart home sensor system, Notion has introduced a new integration with HomeAdvisor that allows homeowners to immediately get in touch with an available local plumber anytime a water leak is detected. The new feature, called Plumber Matching, is Notion's first partnership with a service provider.
TaskRabbit back online after cyberattack, warns users to monitor their accounts
TaskRabbit is back online after a cyberattack forced the company to suspend its operation on Monday. The CEO says it's still investigating the extent of the damage, and warns users to monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity. It added that it will notify every affected individual as soon as it can.
As Apple and Amazon fight for a share of the smart home market, one lags behind
The smart home market is projected to be worth up to $40 billion by 2020, so it's no wonder that smart home developers are battling it out to win over consumers. A new market has recently opened up as homebuilders begin to integrate smart home technology. Who's winning? You might be surprised.
EverCam is a wire-free security cam with a battery that lasts a year
How are EverCam's batteries able to last a full year? EverCam partnered wth Anker, an industry-leading company in charging technology, to increase the efficiency and longevity of their batteries. On standby mode, EverCam's batteries can actually last for up to three whole years.
Secure your home from your wrist with an August lock and Apple Watch app
First, smart lock companies made it harder for strangers to get into your front door. But now, they're making it easier for you. August is helping remove as many barriers to entry as possible when it comes to locking and unlocking your home. It comes in the form of an all-new Apple Watch app.